Keyless rod locking device

ABSTRACT

A lock fastening device comprises a pivotally mountable fastening rod or member and a retaining mechanism including a slot for receiving a length of the fastening member, one or more magnetically engageable locking tabs, and compressible elastic means for projecting the locking tabs into the receiving slot for preventing the removal of the fastening member. In a preferred arrangement, the tabs include cam surfaces so that they are forced out of the receiving slot as the fastening member is forced toward the locking position. When the rod reaches the locking position, it no longer contacts the tabs and the tabs spring back into the slot, locking the rod in position. The rod can be removed by a suitable arrangement of magnets for retracting the locking tabs from the slot. In addition, the bottom layer of the slot can include a layer of compressible elastic material for springing the rod from the locking position when the locking tabs are retracted.

' United" States Patent 1 1 Trikilis [54] KEYLESS ROD LOCKING DEVICE[76] lnventor: Emmanuel M. Trikilis, 3122 West 24/201 B, 40/15, -70/202,70/276, 281/49 [51] Int. Cl "A44b 9/18, EOSb 47/00 [58 Field of Search..70/276, 20, 196, 202; 24/13,

24/150 SD, 156, 158, 161; 40/15; 63/20, 29 M; 281/49; 402/2; 292/259,302, 319, 323, 251.5, 341.15, 341.16

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,142,830 6/1915 Means etal. ..70/196 1,908,097 5/1933 Zacarias ..70/196 3,395,555 8/1968 Hickman70/276 X 1,142,845 6/1915 Rothenbucher ...70/202 2,016,588 10/1935Bloore et a1. ..281/49 2,057,006 10/1936 Caclamlse ..24/158 X 1,068,5467/1913 Thomas 292/341.l5 X 1,881,511 10/1932 Grierson et al.... ..70/2762,559,736 7/1951 Scarborough ..292/226 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS I269,358 ,4 1927 Great Britain .,...292/42 Primary Examiner- Albert G.Craig, Jr.

Attorney--Pennie, Edmonds, Morton, Taylor and Adams [57] ABSTRACT A lockfastening device comprises a pivotally mountable fastening rod or memberand a retaining mechanism including a slot for receiving a length of thefastening member, one or more magnetically engageable locking tabs, andcompressible elastic means for projecting the locking tabs into thereceiving slot for preventing the removal of the fastening member. In apreferred arrangement, the tabs include cam' surfaces so that they areforced out of the receiving slot as the fastening member is forcedtoward the locking position.'When the rod reaches the locking position,it no longer contacts the tabs and the tabs spring back into the slot,locking the rod in position. The rod can be removed by a suitablearrangement of magnets for retracting the locking tabs from the slot. Inaddition, the bottom layer of the slot can include a layer ofcompressible elastic material for springing the rod from the lockingposition when the locking tabs are retracted.

2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAH 16 I915 FIG. I

FIG. 4A

FIG. 4B

IIO

FIG. 2

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INVENTOR Emmanuel M. Trikilis BY PM, W 7 lm.Z -n

ATTORNEYS 1 KEYLESS ROD LOCKING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thepresent'invention relates to a magnetic lock fastening arrangement whichis particularly useful in preventing the unauthorized removal ofperiodicals or other printed matter from bound volumes and the theft orloss of pin-o'n items such as jewelry or security badges. v

The unauthorized removal of periodicals or classified reports or recordsis a significant problem for a number of institutions such as, forexample, libraries vwhose periodicals may be pilfered, telephonecompanies maintaining directories in pay phone booths and com- I panieswhich maintain confidential or classified reports and records.Conventional mechanisms for locking these materials into a binder whichcan, in turn, be

securely attached to an adjacent structure (such as a wall or a phonebooth) utilize pivotally mounted elongated rods fastened 'by varioustypes of mechanical locks. However, as is well known, most mechanicallocks which can be obtained at reasonable expense are relatively easy topick. A number of magnetic-type locking arrangements have been developed(see, for example, U. S. Pat. Nos. 2,730,392; 1,933,126; 3,289,443;3,395,555; 1,686,201; and,3,095,723), but

1 none of these are suitable for locking a pivotally mounted elongatedfastening rod.

The need for better arrangements for fastening a small valuable pin oritems such as jewelry and security badges is self-evident from the largenumber of such items lost each year. Mechanical fastening mechanisms areusually subject to accidental opening and difficult to lock.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION ing slot as the rod is forced toward thelocking position.

.when the locking tabs'are retracted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The advantages, nature and variousadditional features of the present invention will appear more fully uponconsideration of the illustrative embodiments now to be described indetail in connection with the accompanying drawings. I In the drawings:7 g Y FIG; l-is anelevational view in partial cross section vof alocking arrangement in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the retaining mechanism in FIG. 1taken along the line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is 'a'plan view of a portion of the structure of i 1 FIG. 1showing the retaining mechanism inits unlocked position; and

FIGS. 4A and 4B show the end structure of a preferred fastening rod andits location with respect to the locking tabs of the retainingmechanism.

Wherever possible, the same numerals have been used to identifycorresponding parts in the several "drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates alock fastening arrangement comprising a fastening rod pivotally mountedon a fixed base 111, such as a metal binder. The rod may be mounted, forexample, on a pin 112 extending between a pair of support members 113and 114. A retaining mechanism 115 including a slot 116 for receiving alength of rod 110 and a pair of magnetically engageable locking tabmembers 117 and 118 projected into the receiving slot by a pair ofelastic backing members 119 and 120, respectively, is I mounted on base111 in the arc of the fastening rod. The magnetically engageable tabmembers are preferably longitudinally extending ferromagnets whichinclude transverse tabs. The ferromagnets can be made of cast orsintered Alnico (cast Alnico l, for example, which has a residualinduction of 7,750, a coercive force of 400, and a maximum energyproduct of 1.4), cast Samarium-cobalt, or platinum-cobalt (cast orwrought). The elastic backing members 119 and 120 are preferablycompressible foam rubber or a similar material and are properlydimensioned to project the tabs across the receiving slot.Advantageously, both the tab and the backing members'are sealed in ahousing 121 of a non-magnetic material such as aluminum.

' In a preferred embodiment, the tabs include cam surfaces so that theyare forced out of the receiving slot as the rod is forced toward thelocking position, so that it is unnecessaryto employ the magnetic key(described below) to lock the rod in place. This feature will becomeclear by reference to FIG. 2 which is a cross sectional view of theretaining mechanism of FIG. I

out of the slot the rod springs out of the locking position; It isclear, however, that once the rod passes the bottom of the tabs, thetabs will snap back across the Slot locking the rod in position.

The me'thod'of releasing the fastening rod can be more clearlyunderstood by reference to FIG. 3 which illustrates an open retainingmechanism. The retaining mechanism is opened with the aid of a magnetickey comprising an'arrang'ement of magnets, in this case, magnets 301 and302 adapted to retract the tabs from the channel. They effect thisresult by forcing the tab members against their compressible elasticbacking members. The fastening rod can then be readily removed from theslot.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate an alternative embodiment of a specialfastening rod for use with the invention in order to produce a morefoolproof lock. FIG. 4A shows a side view of the portion of the rodwhich fits into the retaining mechanism. This end portion is split intoan upper portion 110A and lower portion 1108 with sufficient spaceseparating the two portions for the locking tabs to pass between them.The advantage of this arrangement is illustrated by FIG. 4B whichschematically illustrates the rod in the locked position. In particular,.it will be noted that the lower portion 1103 is securely locked by tabs117 and 118 while the upper portion 110A covers the receiving slot sothat it is practically impossible to insert any device to depress thetab members and thereby release the red It is in all cases understoodthat the above described arrangements are merely illustrative of themany possible specific embodiments which can represent applications ofthe principles of the invention. For example, by varying the strength,location or orientation of the magnetic poles and the compressibility ofthe elastic backing members, a great variety of combinations requiredfor unlocking the device can be developed. In addition, while the devicehas been described as a lock for a binder or a pin-on item, it is alsouseful in a wide variety of other applications suchas, for example, doorand cabinet locks where the fastening member can be used to prevent theopening of the door. Thus, it is clear that numerous and varied otherarrangements can be readily devised by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim: 7

l. A lock fastening device comprising a fixed base support plate,anelongated fastening rod mounted on said fixed base plate by means of apivotal member secured to said base plate, said pivotal member beingoriented to permit said elongated fastening rod to pivot in an arc withrespect to said base plate, a non-magnetic housing means secured to saidfixed base support plate, said housing including a receiving slotdisposed along the arc of said elongated fastening rod, at least twolocking tab members disposed within said nonmagnetic housing, eachlocking-tab member including a magnetic portion and a locking tabportion extending transverse to said receiving slot, said locking tabportions each having a cam surface adapted to force said locking tabmembers out of said receiving slot as said locking rod is moved intosaid slot, a compressible elastic means disposed within saidnon-magnetic housing means for'projecting said tab members into saidreceiving slot such that said locking tab portions prevent theunauthorized removal of said fastening rod therefrom, the magneticportion of each locking tab member being responsive to magnetic means ofa predetermined configuration positioned externally of said non-magnetichousing for compressing said elastic means to thereby retract saidlocking tab portions from said receiving slot, said retraction of saidlocking tab portions freeing said fastening rod.

2. A lock fastening device according to claim 1 wherein said elongatedfastening rod includes an axially extending slot, said slot dividinginto two axially extending portions a-section of said fastening rod,

wherein said receiving slot receives the slot portion of the fastenirzlgrod, and wherein said locking tab portions each e-xten Into said axiallyextending slot so hat one portion of said rod covers said locking tabportions, thereby rendering unauthorized removal of said fasteningdevice more difficult.

1. A lock fastening device comprising a fixed base support plate, anelongated fastening rod mounted on said fixed base plate by means of apivotal member secured to said base plate, said pivotal member beingoriented to permit said elongated fastening rod to pivot in an arc withrespect to said base plate, a non-magnetic housing means secured to saidfixed base support plate, said housing including a receiving slotdisposed along the arc of said elongated fastening rod, at least twolocking tab members disposed within said non-magnetic housing, eachlocking tab member including a magnetic portion and a locking tabportion extending transverse to said receiving slot, said locking tabportions each having a cam surface adapted to force said locking tabmembers out of said receiving slot as said locking rod is moved intosaid slot, a compressible elastic means disposed within saidnon-magnetic housing means for projecting said tab members into saidreceiving slot such that said locking tab portions prevent theunauthorized removal of said fastening rod therefrom, the magneticportion of each locking tab member being responsive to magnetic means ofa predetermined configuration positioned externally of said non-magnetichousing for compressing said elastic means to thereby retract saidlocking tab portions from said receiving slot, said retraction of saidlocking tab portions freeing said fastening rod.
 2. A lock fasteningdevice according to claim 1 wherein said elongated fastening rodincludes an axially extending slot, said slot dividing into two axiallyextending portions a section of said fastening rod, wherein saidreceiving slot receives the slot portion of the fastening rod, andwherein said locking tab portions each extend into said axiallyextending slot so that one portion of said rod covers said locking tabportions, thereby rendering unauthorized removal of said fasteningdevice more difficult.